Headworn defogger

Abstract

A head-worn air pump is provided in a housing, which directs a stream of air to the goggles between the user and the interior surface of the goggles. The housing is mounted to the user's head independently of the goggles. One or more flexible tubes or hoses can be attached to a manifold or plenum at the housing that receives air under pressure from the pump, and extend from the rear of the head to one or both sides of the goggles. The air can be supplied either at ambient temperature or refrigerated and/or heated, as desired in particular applications.

1 . An apparatus for use with eye-wear having a viewing surface and structure for securing the eye-wear to a head of a user to cover eyes of the user, said apparatus comprising:
 a housing mountable to the user's head independent from the eye-wear, said housing having an opening;   an air pump mounted in said housing, said air pump having a fan and a control circuit to selectively operate said fan, and said air pump having an outlet aligned with said opening of said housing;   a manifold mounted at said opening of said housing, said manifold including at least two outlets and an inlet for receiving compressed air and outputting the air through said first and second outlets of said manifold; and   first and second tubes connected to said first and second outlets of said manifold, respectively, and said first and second tubes having outlet ends and extending between said manifold and the viewing surface of the eye-wear with said outlet ends of said first and second tubes directing air from said manifold to direct two separate streams of air to the inside surface of the eyewear, and said first and second tubes being separate from the structure for securing the eye-wear to the head of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a strap for securing to the head of a user, and said housing being attached to said strap. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second tubes direct the two separate streams therefrom to direct two separate streams of air to the inside surface of the eye-wear. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second tubes direct the two separate streams to two different locations of the inside of the viewing surface of the eye-wear. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the eye-wear is protective goggles, the protective goggles for surrounding an area around the eyes of the user to prevent contact with the eyes from exterior materials, the protective goggles including the viewing surface, and said first and second tubes being configured to connect to the goggles adjacent the viewing surface to prevent or reduce fogging of the viewing surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said manifold comprises a first manifold with said first and second outlets having a first arrangement, said first manifold being releasably coupled at said opening of said housing to allow said first manifold to be selectively removed from said housing, said apparatus further comprising a second manifold, and said second manifold for releasably coupling at said opening of said housing to replace said first manifold when removed, and said second manifold having first and second outlets in a second arrangement different than said first arrangement of said first manifold to provide different connection locations for said second and first tubes. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising compressible tabs for releasably coupling each of said first and second manifolds to said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , said housing further having an intake opening, and said housing being configured to orient said intake opening downward when mounted to the head of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a curved surface to conform to the head of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said air pump includes a heating element or a cooling element to vary the temperature of the air. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , in combination with the goggles, wherein said first and second tubes are connected to said goggles wherein said outlet ends of said first and second tubes are orthogonal to said viewing surface of said goggles. 
     
     
         12 . A defogger kit for use with eye-wear, the eye-wear having a viewing surface and structure for securing the eye-wear to a head of a user, said defogger kit comprising:
 a housing mountable adjacent to the user's head independent from the eye-wear, said housing having an opening;   an air pump mounted in said housing, said air pump having a fan and a control circuit to selectively operate said fan, and said air pump having an outlet aligned with said opening of said housing;   a first manifold for releasably mounting at said opening of said housing, said first manifold including first and second outlets and an inlet in communication with said outlet of said air pump through said opening of said housing when mounted at said opening for receiving air from said air pump and for separating and outputting the air flow from said two outlets of said manifold into two separate air flows, and said first and second outlets in a first configuration for coupling to first and second tubes, said first and second tubes having outlet ends for directing air from said manifold to direct two separate streams of air to the inside surface of the eyewear, and said first and second tubes being separate from the structure for securing the eye-wear to the head of the user; and   a second manifold for releasably mounting at said opening of said housing when said first manifold is removed from said housing, said second manifold including first and second outlets and an inlet in communication with said outlet of said air pump through said opening of said housing when mounted to said housing for receiving air from said air pump, said first and second outlets of said second manifold in a second configuration for coupling to said first and second tubes, and said outlets of said first and second tubes for directing air from said second manifold to direct two separate streams of air to the inside surface of the eye-wear.   
     
     
         13 . The defogger kit according to  claim 12 , in combination with said first and second tubes for coupling to said first or second manifold. 
     
     
         14 . The defogger kit according to  claim 13 , wherein when said first and second tubes are coupled to said first and second outlets of said first manifold, said first and second tubes are directed in opposed directions from each other from said first manifold, and when said first and second tubes are coupled to said first and second outlets of said second manifold, said first and second tubes are directed in the same direction from said second manifold. 
     
     
         15 . The defogger kit according to  claim 12 , further comprising compressible tabs to releasably mount said first manifold and/or said second manifold to said housing.